Mandatory HPV Vaccination for Indiana Girls?
Thanks to all of your grass roots work, we were able to see a Mandatory HPV Vaccination bill stripped down to simply an Education bill. (See finalized bill) All schools are required to give information about the vaccine and its relation to the HPV virus. Home schools and non accredited Private Schools are exempt from this. The schools then are to have parents fill in a form that says the girls have, or have not had the vaccine. We were able to add a line on the form stating that parents choose not to answer the question at all!! This will then be sent to the State Department of Health. This could not have been done without you. Thank you for calling your Legislators, and writing letters! YOU made the difference.
Below is our Journey...
Senator Connie Lawson has proposed SB 327 that will force all girls entering the 6th grade to receive the HPV vaccine. http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2007/IN/IN0327.1.html (you can read the bill here).
I am concerned about this for many reasons:
1.) The word "Required." Parents should decide what is best for their children; not the government. All other vaccinations protect children from communicable diseases. HPV can only be transmitted through sexual contact. This is not a public health risk; the virus will not shut public schools down should a child have it, so Big Government should not be involved.
2.) The FDA just approved this vaccine in June, 2006, and the duration of this vaccine has only been followed for 4.5 years. There is an alarming lack of research! It has only been followed on women, ages 16-26. Many Americans are living a nightmare because of the Vioxx fiasco, as lawsuits continue to jam our courts. Will we continue to not learn from the mistakes of “big pharma?” Can our government assure us that this is safe? Have the long term affects such as infertility, or birth defects been researched?
3.) What is there to legislate? If parents feel their child needs to be vaccinated, the vaccine is already available. Why make it mandatory. The word "REQUIRED" is tactfully placed in this bill so that the taxpayers of Indiana can pick up the tab for those who don't have the $360, or insurance, to cover the cost of it. It is understandable why Merck wants the vaccine mandated. On June 5th, Fortune Magazine writer John Simons reported Merck would make $2-$4 billion dollars annually if the vaccine is mandated by the States. The shots, given three times over a 6 month period, will cost $360.00.
This vaccine misrepresents to young people that it protects them from all STDs when, in fact, it only protects against 4 strands, and then, it's not a 100% guarantee.
UPDATE FROM INDIANA EAGLE FORUM:
Mandate Removed From HPV Vaccine Bill! On January 31 an amendment to remove the mandate from SB 327 passed the committee by a vote of 9-2. After considerable testimony from opponents warning of problems with the new vaccine, the amended form of the bill passed the committee unanimously. The new version of the bill requires schools to provide information, prepared by the state department of health, to parents of 6th grade girls that will explain the link between the human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. The parents will be required to fill out a form to indicate that the student has received the immunization or the parent has decided the student not receive the vaccine. The parents have 20 days from the first day of school to return the form. This begs the question as to why, if the vaccine isn’t required by the state, are the parents required to report their decision to the school/state? This can be perceived as a form of coercion.
During the second reading procedure before the full Senate, Senator Drozda offered an amendment to place SB 327 in a summer study committee. This effort failed by voice vote. The sponsor of the bill, Senator Lawson, then convinced the members to accept her amendment to include information that explains how HPV is contracted, along with details regarding the vaccines’ effectiveness against cervical cancer. On Monday the bill passed the Senate 44-5. Before the vote Senators Drozda, Delf, and Steele, spoke to the bill and pointed out the questions the public has concerning requiring parents returning the form and questions about the safety of the vaccine. It now goes to the House for debate.
Indiana Voice for the Family
Protecting Family Rights and Values
with Informed Truth!
